Getting from John F. Kennedy International Airport to the city

How the fares actually work

• The AirTrain is free inside the airport, moving between terminals, car parks and hotel shuttles.
• You pay when you enter or exit at Jamaica or Howard Beach - the two stations where it meets the city.
• The subway is a separate USD 3 fare.
• Total into Manhattan: roughly USD 12, and about an hour depending on the line.

The two exits

• The LIRR from Jamaica to Penn Station is much faster - about 20 minutes - and costs several times the subway. Worth it if you are running late or heading for Midtown with bags.
• The A train from Howard Beach is slow; it is a long ride through Brooklyn.

Paying

• Use OMNY. Tap your own contactless bank card or phone at the subway turnstile - no MetroCard, no machine.
• OMNY applies a weekly fare cap automatically, so heavy subway use during a week's stay stops charging after a point.
• The AirTrain gate also takes OMNY, so one card does the whole journey.

The alternatives

• A yellow cab from JFK to Manhattan is a flat fare plus tolls, tip and surcharges - published, legitimate, and several times the train.
• Ride-hailing is dynamically priced and can be worse than the cab at busy times.
• In heavy traffic the train wins on time as well as money, which is the argument that actually persuades people.